Foldable infant strollers have been in popular use for many years and typically consist of a wheeled tubular frame comprised of two or more frame members which are hinged or pivoted to each other so that the frame can be deployed to a condition where the wheels are spaced apart for rolling on a ground surface, or collapsed to a compact configuration where the wheels are adjacent to each other for convenient carrying and storage of the stroller. An infant seat typically made of fabric and foam padding is suspended from the frame. Various accessories, often removable, may be attached to the frame such as a retractable hood for shielding the infant against direct sunlight, a foot rest, and various storage aids, such as baskets or bags for carrying the usual assortment of supplies necessary for infant care.
Many such foldable strollers are in current manufacture, but the general arrangement and design tends to be similar from one manufacturer to another, and certain shortcomings in these foldable strollers are widespread in the industry and improvement is needed.
Specifically, one shortcoming prevalent among foldable strollers in current use is the tendency of the stroller to collapse towards a folded condition upon release of a single latch. It is common practice to provide a release rod on the rear of the frame which can be easily depressed by pushing down with a foot to release the latch and allow the frame to fold. Such a latch arrangement can be accidentally released by older siblings climbing up on the carriage, as young children are prone to do, leading to possible injury to an infant resting in the carriage when it collapses in such a manner.
It is also desirable to provide a foldable stroller frame which in a folded condition will be self-supporting in a free standing condition. It is present practice in the industry to provide the stroller frames with an attached auxiliary stand or support bracket which assists in supporting the frame in a free standing condition. It is desirable however to provide a stroller frame which is configured and arranged so as to render unnecessary such auxiliary brackets or supports.
It is further desirable to make the folded frames as compact as possible in a folded condition for easier storage, especially for underseat or overhead storage on an airliner. Many strollers in current use are unsatisfactory in that their frames are relatively bulky even when folded, and additional improvement in this aspect is needed.